Cape business owner accused of seeking repayment for not testifying against employee

A Cape Girardeau business owner who was to testify at a preliminary hearing as the victim in a forgery case found himself in custody last week for allegedly soliciting money from the defendant in exchange for not testifying.

Timothy C. Duffey, 46, owner of Designated Driver, is charged with acceding to corruption for sending an inmate, also a former employee, a letter describing a deal he'd get for her if she paid the debt she owed the business.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said Duffey is the first person his office has ever charged with acceding to corruption, a felony.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed in the case, the letter was sent to Tara R. Rucker, who allegedly passed a check for $470 under the Designated Driver account, which Duffey claimed to have not signed. Duffey wrote that if Rucker paid him the $470, he would tell the prosecutor he didn't want to testify and if he was forced to be a witness would become "real forgetful."

Duffey didn't appear at Rucker's April 15 hearing to testify, and the case against Rucker was dismissed.

Duffey is scheduled to appear in court May 3 for a status hearing and is being held in the Cape Girardeau County Jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond.